Celebrity Chef Reuben Riffel believes "everyone has a strawberry story."
In his cookbook, Reuben at Home, Riffel talks about his strawberry story he shares with his father.
"My dad planted them in our garden and while they were never uniform in size or shape, they were the sweetest strawberries I’ve ever tasted. We never ate them with real cream. In our house we ate strawberries with Orley Whip imitation cream, and believe me when I tell you that there is nothing wrong with fresh strawberries and Orley Whip – that combination made me very happy for a long time. So this strawberry shortcake is my grown-up tribute to my childhood treat."
Serves 6
3 punnets (250g each) small strawberries, halved
¼ cup white sugar, plus
4 teaspoons extra
1 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
thickened cream – 1 cup lightly whipped, plus 1½ cups whipped and chilled
60g butter – half melted, half at room temperature
Place strawberries in a large glass bowl. Sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar and toss to combine. Using the back of a fork, lightly crush strawberries. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 45 minutes or until strawberries release their juices.
Preheat the oven to 220˚C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Combine the flour, baking powder, 2 teaspoons sugar and salt in a large bowl.
Add the cup of lightly whipped cream and use your hands to gently mix until just combined.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until it just comes together. Pat dough into a 20cm round (like a thick pizza base), taking care not to overwork the dough or it will become tough.
Slide dough onto the prepared tray. Brush the top and sides with melted butter and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Outline segments in the dough with the back of a knife – this helps the shortbread to break into that wedge shape once it’s baked.
Also see: Father's Day cocktail